CD Reviews

Another innovative album, but not one of Main's best

08/22/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I would rate this record with 5 points compared with other so-called "post-rock"-albums from bands like Gastr Del Sol, Bowery Electric, Trans Am and Tortoise. But among Main's other albums this is only worth 3 points! "Motion Pool" contains some ambient soundscapes reminiscent of the "Firmament"-series as well as more rock-oriented tracks. The problem with this record is, that the endlessly repeated guitar-riffs wear thin after a few listens, and the singing is barely hearable. Although it is still a great record, especially if you skip from track to track and listen to the first two minutes of every song only, this is my least favourite Main album. You better should look for the "Ligature Remixes" album (possibly available in Europe only), which collects the best pieces of "Motion Pool" and some other 12" releases. If you want to enjoy Main's greatest effort, you MUST purchase the double-disc set "Hz"."

An interesting crosswiring of ideas

DAC Crowell | 12/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Take the fuzz/drone/feedback sound of, say, Flying Saucer Attack and the dub/loop/space aspects of, say, Seefeel circa "Quique" or "Polyfusia", and what do you get? Well...something like this release by Main. Definitely working toward a spacy/ambient direction, but employing crunchy and spiky loops of guitar distortion, feedback, and noise, "Motion Pool" is a pretty satisfying collection of sometimes-edgy drone psychedelia with a heavy dub angle to it. Vocals drift in and out, like they're being sung in the next room, and the only percussives one finds are the random metal noise or other noise-burst. Like the liner notes say, it's "Drumless space". Definitely a 'recommend' for those who like things along the line of My Bloody Valentine, or either of the above-mentioned groups."

VIII is really it!

Carl Johnson | Detroit, MI United States | 12/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Main is an interesting "rock" band. I fell in love with the peice "VIII" when I heard it on a dubology collection I had purchased. I searched in vien to find a comperable full length CD that was really fufilling to my dark, rythmic, trip hop pas-sions. Main is more of a band who experiments with holistic sounding ambient domains. They only utilize rythmn subtlely. The bass and rythmn are the most predominate here of any of the Main recordings."